by Barbara Paul
They had every reason not to accept him. One of the three, the most important one, had almost died because Kevin Gilbert had drawn her into a dangerous situation and then failed to provide her with protection. What if Shelby had been alone when Schlimmermann broke in? Or what if she’d had a sister who was just like other women, who didn’t have hands like steel traps? Timid little Tee—what a paradox she was! Afraid of her own shadow, but still able to find reserves of strength that let her kill when killing was the only way to save her sister’s life. Tee was put on this earth to create moments of beauty, but she hadn’t hesitated to destroy when Shelby was threatened. Tee Bradley was a woman who had her priorities right.
Kevin paid off the driver and buzzed his way into the building. Shelby opened the apartment door, took one look at the shadows under his eyes, and said, “Your circles have circles.”
Kevin found himself the object of concern, mildly fussed over by the three people who could so easily have blamed him for what happened. He collapsed gratefully onto the sofa and accepted a life-enhancing, vigor-restoring, confidence-boosting scotch.
“I’ll try to be subtle about this,” Max said. “You look like hell.”
Kevin laughed. “Thanks. All I need is about eight days’ sleep and I’ll be my usual charming self again. I haven’t been to bed since Monday.”
“Monday!” said Tee, wide-eyed. “What have you been doing?”
“Top secret stuff,” Shelby cautioned.
“No, nothing like that,” said Kevin. “I’ve been organizing the search for Li Xijuan.”
That set them all off, speculating about where Li Xijuan might go, what she might do. The guesses ranged from Chinatown in San Francisco to a “lady monastery” in Tibet (Tee’s idea). Max thought Li Xijuan would try to make a comeback, like Napoleon. Shelby was sure she’d go straight to a plastic surgeon and change her appearance completely.
“So maybe we should look for a blonde Li Xijuan?” Kevin grinned, going along.
“You scoff, o tracer of lost persons,” Shelby said. “But I’ll bet anything that’s what she does—just blends into the crowd looking like everybody else.”
“Do you really think you can catch her?” Tee asked dubiously.
“I’ll catch her,” Kevin said. “The world gets a little smaller every day. UN Intelligence has an instant-communications setup that sometimes even I don’t believe. Wherever she’s spotted, I can have an agent on her trail within two minutes.”
“Aren’t you afraid you’ll end up like whatsisname in Les Misérables?” asked Shelby. “Chasing poor old Jean Valjean through the sewers of Paris?”
“Javert,” Max offered.
“I’ll catch her,” Kevin said quietly. “And I won’t let her go when I do.”
“It doesn’t fit, Shel,” Max objected. “I can’t see anybody thinking ‘poor old’ Li Xijuan. And in the sewers of Paris? Never. The gardens of Versailles, maybe. Or a castle on top of a mountain in South America. But no sewers, nowhere, nohow.”
Kevin looked at him curiously. “Do you admire the woman, Max?”
Max looked startled, and then said dryly, “I admire her style. But I’m not one of those who confuse style with substance. I understand what she did.”
Kevin grinned. “Sorry.”
“A strange woman,” said Tee. “I’ll never understand people like that.”
“I want some coffee,” Shelby said abruptly. “Do you have any made, Tee?”
“Yes,” said Tee, surprised, “but my coffee—”
“Happens to be very good,” Shelby said firmly. “Sit still—I’ll get it. Anybody else?”
“I’d like some,” Kevin said as the Bradleys shook their heads. Shelby went into the kitchen.
“Max.” Tee had a peculiar look on her face.
“Mm?”
“Did you notice …?”
“Did I notice what?”
“It’s only … did you happen to notice a faint pink ring around Shelby just now?”
CHAPTER 42
THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE
About the Author
Barbara Paul is the author of numerous short stories and novels in both the detective and science fiction genres. Born in Maysville, Kentucky, she went on to attend Bowling Green State University and the University of Pittsburgh, earning a PhD in theater history and criticism. She has been nominated for the Shamus Award for Best PI Short Story, and two of her novels, In-Laws and Outlaws and Kill Fee, have been adapted into television movies. After teaching at the University of Pittsburgh for a number of years, she retired to write full-time. Paul currently resides in Sacramento.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 1980 by Barbara Paul
Selection from The Bald Soprano reprinted from Four Plays by Eugène Ionesco, translated by Donald M. Allen, copyright © 1960, 1964 by the University of Nebraska Press. Excerpt from Major Barbara reprinted by permission of The Society of Authors on behalf of the Bernard Shaw Estate, Lines from “The Unknown Citizen” from W. H. Auden’s Another Time, © 1940, 1968, Rand House, Inc.
Cover design by Jason Gabbert
ISBN: 978-1-5040-3238-4
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